How far Miss Fancher is responsible for the assertions that have been made in regard to her long-continued abstinence I do not know. A tendency to deception is a notable phenomenon of hysteria, and if she has led those about her to accept the view that she has existed without food for years, the circumstance would be in no way remarkable. Other hysterical women have deceived in the same or in still more astonishing ways. Or it may be that the amount of food taken being very small, carelessness or want of exactness has led to the expression that she lived upon "absolutely nothing," just as we hear the words used every day by those who have little or no appetite, but who nevertheless do eat something. Again, a love for the marvellous is so deeply rooted in the average human mind that it willingly, and to a certain extent unconsciously, adds to any statement of a remarkable circumstance, till the latter grows, whilst being repeated, to fabulous dimensions. But however this may be, whatever the explanation, it is quite certain that if Miss Fancher has lived fourteen years without food, or even fourteen months, or weeks, she is a unique psychological or pathological individual, whose case is worthy of all the consideration which can be given to it, not by superstitious or credulous or ignorant persons, but by those who, trained in the proper methods of scientific research, would know how to get the whole truth of her case, and nothing but the truth. It is to be regretted, therefore, that the proposition contained in the annexed letter (Appendix) was not accepted, and that we are forced to place Miss Fancher's case among the others which have proved to be fallacious, till such time as it may suit her and her friends to allow of such an examination. FOOTNOTES: [15] Recherches expérimentales sur l'inanition. Paris, 1843, p. 20. [16] Universal Magazine, Vol. XXXVI, p. 250. [17] Abridged Philosophical Transaction, Vol. III, p. 111. [18] Traité de médecine légale et d'hygiène publique. Paris, 1813. t. II, p. 285. [19] Medical Gazette, Vol. XVII, p. 389. [20] Des maladies mentales. Paris, 1838, p. 203. [21] Du refus de manger chez les aliénés. Thèse de Paris 1864, p. [22] Nouveau dictionnaire de médecine et de chirurgie pratiques. Paris, 1874. t. XVIII., Art. Inanition, p. 503. [23] New York Medical and Surgical Journal, Vol. II, p. 31. [24] Quoted from Trans. of the Albany Institute by Dr. Lee in Copland's Dictionary of Medicine. Vol. I, p. 31. [25] Recherches expérimentales sur les effets de l'abstinence. _Journal de Physiologie_ de Magendie, t. VIII, p. 150. [26] De l'anorexie hystérique. _Archives générales de médecine_, April 1875. [27] Leçons sur les maladies du système nerveux, t. I., 2d edition. Paris, 1876, p. 178. APPENDIX. The following letter embraces the proposition made to Miss Fancher, to which allusion is made in the text: TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:--